1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a boarding ramp device for an aircraft that includes a body, a main wing, and a fairing for covering a connecting portion between the body and the main wing. The fairing bulges in a lower face of the body.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,486 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-230495 disclose a device in which a boarding ramp that is stored in a folded state in a body is deployed from a door opening formed in the body to the ground. The boarding ramp is stored in a folded state in view of the fact that there is a distance between the door opening and the ground. Thus, it is difficult for passengers to directly get on and off the aircraft without the use of a boarding ramp.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,684 discloses a device in which a door for opening and closing a door opening formed in a body is divided into a door upper-part and a door lower-part. A boarding ramp is provided on an inner surface of the door lower-part.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,364 discloses a device that includes a boarding ramp that is extendable from a stored position along a lower face of a body to a use position wherein the boarding ramp projects sideward of the body. A dedicated fairing is provided in the body so as to cover the boarding ramp in the stored state.
However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,486 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-230495 have a problem wherein the space for a passenger compartment or a cargo compartment of the aircraft is decreased by the boarding ramp because the boarding ramp in the folded state is stored inside the aircraft.
Also, the boarding ramp described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,684 has a problem that the device is applicable only to a small-sized aircraft wherein distance between the lower end of the door opening and the ground is about the length of the door lower-part because the boarding ramp is provided on the inner face of the door lower-part.
Further, the boarding ramp described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,364 has a problem in that the dedicated fairing for covering the boarding ramp in the stored position is required to be provided on the lower face of the body, which increases air resistance.